I really believe that some of the best ways to work and strengthen your core section is by using the functions of the stability ball. Ball ab exercises force you to use your core strength to balance yourself on the ball and will flatten and firm your abs more than doing normal ab exercises. Here are three stability ball ab exercises you can use to get started.
Ball Ab Exercises #1
The first workout I want to share with you is the stability ball crunch. This ab exercise will help strengthen the front “six-pack” abs just as a normal crunch would, only it makes them work much harder and will develop them much more assuming you use the exercise consistently. Here’s how its done.
Go ahead and sit on the ball with your feet on the floor about shoulder width apart. You want to position yourself so most of your legs are off the ball and you should be resting your weight on the lower part of your back. With your elbows out wide and your head up, lift your upper back up just like you would do a normal crunch. Slowly and with total control, bring yourself back down to the starting position all the while concentrating on your breathing.
You want to make sure you breathe out on the way up when your ab muscles are contracted and breathe in on your way down when they are in a relaxed position.
Ball Ab Exercises #2
The next exercise is the stability ball plank. This exercise is challenging because the ball tries to move while you attempt to balance yourself on it. The only muscles you use to control your balance are your abs and shoulders.
Start this exercise by resting your elbows on the ball and your toes out behind you on the floor leaving your body straight…like a plank. Now all you need to do is hold this position as long as you can. Usually between 20 – 45 seconds or longer if you can.
The trick here is to keep your body completely straight and pulling in your abs to keep your back from arching. Try to do this exercise 3 times a week for best results.
Ball Ab Exercises #3
The last ab workout I want to share today is the stability ball rollout. This is like doing the ab crunch, only upside down.
Start this exercise kneeling on the floor with the ball in front of you about as far away as you can comfortably extend your arms. Rest your hands on the ball, palms down. Then slowly roll the ball away and extend your arms and shoulders leaving your head and chin down. Once you are fully extended, contract your abs and bring the ball back towards the starting position. Repeat this until exhaustion.
